CON-CELEBRATION OF PRIESTS, PERMANENT DEACONS AND THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

1. Is con-celebration among priests allowed in the Extraordinary Form?

In the Traditional Latin Mass con-celebration only occurs at the Mass of the Ordination of a Priest and at the Mass of the Ordination of a Bishop. In the Ordination of a Priest according to the 1962 Missal the rubrics establish that the concelebrating priests be only those who are ordained at that Mass. Thus the priests attending the Ordination Mass of Priests do not concelebrate but only the Ordinandi.

The manner of con-celebration at the Mass of the Ordination of a Priest is not identical to the manner of con-celebration in the Ordinary Form. Rather in the Extraordinary Form the concelebrating priest, at his Mass of Ordination, kneels at some distance from the altar. While the Canon of the Mass is normally read in "vox secreta," at an Ordination Mass the Canon Missae is said out loud by the Bishop. While the Ordaining Bishop reads the Canon of the Mass out loud the newly ordained priest(s) simultaneously recite(s) the Canon of the Mass in "vox secreta". Furthermore the newly ordained receive only the Sacred Host. The Ordinandi receive the Sacred Host on the tongue from the Ordaining Bishop while kneeling at the altar. Afterwards the Ordinandi receive a chalice of unconsecrated wine at the credence table as an ablution. The Ordinandi do not receive the Precious Blood.

In smaller parishes it is difficult to celebrate Solemn Mass due to the scarcity of priests. Thus, Solemn Mass is often served by three priests, who function as Priest, Deacon and Sub-deacon, wearing the vestments of Priest, Deacon, Sub-deacon. This is not "role playing" as some might imagine. One who is ordained to a higher order does not forfeit the lower orders he has received. Recall that a Bishop wears the dalmatic under his chasuble when celebrating Mass.

3. Can permanent Deacons serve as Deacons and Sub-deacons in the Extraordinary Form?

With the permanent Diaconate restored it is now possible that these Deacons can serve as Deacon or Sub-deacon for Solemn Mass. Today, it is not uncommon to have Solemn Mass with an ordained Deacon (transitional or permanent) serving as Deacon or Sub-deacon. The Ecclesia Dei commission granted, some years ago, permission to instituted Acolytes to serve as Sub-deacons at Solemn Mass, noting that they could not wear the maniple or wipe out the chalice after the ablution.